Album: Gristmas Carols
Cover Art: Ephemerald
Wallpaper Art: Ephemerald
Banner Art: melodiousDiscord
Banner Dimensions: 1100x180
Has Track Art: false
Date: December 25, 2017
Date Added: January 12, 2021
Color: '#05db00'
Groups:
- Unofficial MSPA Fans
- Fandom
Art Tags:
- John
- Rose
- Dave
- Jade
- Becquerel
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/album/gristmas-carols
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYr2YZ5D3rfTiEswhqy19AXXqDs4-p04Q
Commentary: |-
Ucklin:
umspaf presents: Gristmas Carols
Organization:
ndividedbyzero
Lambda Bledsoe
Makin
SplitSuns
Kal-la-kal-la
Grace Medley
nights
Booklet:
Ucklin
Cover Illustration:
Ephemerald
Additional Thanks:
The Homestuck Music Team
Andrew Hussie
What Pumpkin
Ephemerald:
Split ran up to me saying that he had a problem; the UMSPAF team needed cover art for their latest album, and he asked if I could provide some. So, I did! I tried to evoke the same feelings as the [[album:homestuck-for-the-holidays]] cover without seeming too derivative, so I had the kids take a "backseat" and have a huge cruxite tree with eponymous grist hanging from it be center stage. The result: a peaceful and quiet scene in LOFAF, representing the best of the Gristmas season. (There are four emotes hidden throughout the image. Good luck finding them!)
---
Track: A Very Merry Gristmas Indeed
Artist: ndividedbyzero
Duration: '3:49'
References:
- Homestuck Anthem
- Deck the Halls
- Smiles and Tears
- Snowdin Town
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/a-very-merry-gristmas-indeed
- https://youtu.be/d3axpwRy9dQ
Commentary: |-
ndividedbyzero:
When I set out to make my first song for this album I only had two things in mind. The first was to make at least part of it feel like one of those classic 80s Christmas songs that everyone loves, a la Wham!. The second was to make it feel like the in-betweens of the holiday experience: after the unwrapping of presents or whichiver main celebration applies, in the midst of the gathering, before everyone's said their goodbyes and while the spirit of holiday cheer still remains. A theme you could have a cup of hot chocolate to while engaging a seldom-seen relative in lighthearted conversation.
Whether I succeeded in these things is up to you. But in any case, I had a whole lot of fun making this!
---
Track: Twelfth Perigee's Eve Sarabande
Artist: Sean Gorter
Duration: '1:52'
References: Sarabande
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/twelfth-perigees-eve-sarabande
- https://youtu.be/Q67iEYetWLM
Commentary: |-
Sean Gorter:
I had actually written out an entire Troll parody of Michael Caine's line in The Dark Knight talking about working for the local government in Burma, but when I tried recording over the music I realized it ruined a perfectly good jazz arrangement. Now all that's left of Troll Michael Caine is this stupid throwaway intro.
---
Track: You're A Mean One, Mr. Slick
Artist: WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES
Contributors:
- WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES (composition, lyrics)
- Aris Martinian (lyrics)
- SplitSuns (lyrics)
- Ephemerald (lyrics)
Duration: '2:42'
References:
- You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
- Liquid Negrocity
- Walk-Stab-Walk (R&E)
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/youre-a-mean-one-mr-slick
- https://youtu.be/sBLIayXR_sU
Lyrics: |-
you’re a mean one
mr. slick
you are dark and tall and dumb
you’ve got arrows in your eyebrows, scotty dogs up in your bum
mr. slick
I hate a moral coward that lacks a manly spark
and god knows
you haven’t any heart
you're a foul one, mr. slick
your chest is full of junk
your crew's composed of nitwits, and your ships have all but sunk
mr. sliiiiiiiiICK
if i were forced into a conversation with you, by the end of it i imagine i'd be flat-out druuuuuunk
you decapitate me, mr. slick
you're a greasy greedy hag
you're a crippled crooked creeper, and you always prod and nag
mr. sliiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIICK
the three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote
"this, douche, bag"
Commentary: |-
WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES:
This was fairly annoying to put together, as I'm not a particularly strong singer, and I wasn't able to find a good recording environment while I was making this. In any case, I hope you'll enjoy my warbling.
---
Track: Creation Myth
Artist: Kanishka
Duration: '2:36'
References:
- track:skies-of-skaia
- Frostbite
- a baby is born
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/creation-myth
- https://youtu.be/GIWe1ZlioTk
Commentary: |-
Kanishka:
Who would even write this conksunk song anyway?
---
Track: JOHN DO THE SNOWY THING
Artist: WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES
Duration: '2:02'
References: JOHN DO THE WINDY THING
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/john-do-the-snowy-thing
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH_LmsPYgr0
Commentary: |-
WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES:
As you could probably guess, this song was inspired by RJ's Lofam 3 track: [[track:john-do-the-windy-thing]]. I'd like to apologize in advance.
---
Track: Strider the Snowman
Artist: FrostyMac
Duration: 0:55
References:
- Frosty the Snowman
- track:beatdown-strider-style
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/strider-the-snowman
- https://youtu.be/6XWxat4vn2A
Commentary: |-
FrostyMac:
I made this whole thing in Spanish class. Suck it productivity!
---
Track: YOUR LORD. AND HIS HOLY GREEN SLEEVES.
Artist: ndividedbyzero
Duration: '3:14'
References:
- Greensleeves
- Eternity Served Cold
- HOMOSUCK. DIRECTOR'S CUT, OF THE YEAR EDITION.
- Carol of the Bells
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/your-lord-and-his-holy-green-sleeves
- https://youtu.be/qyzSR1iGCL4
Commentary: |-
ndividedbyzero:
Caliborn would probably love Christmas, if it were about him, and if all presents people got were also given to him. On Christmas Eve he would travel on his Cairo Overcoat all across the world, taking people's presents from under their trees and hoarding them all, like some sort of weird nega-Santa. Then he'd probably proceed to do nothing with them, because human artifacts are beneath his stature, except when they aren't. What a guy.
---
Track: Fuchsia Sleighride
Artist: PoisonedElite
Duration: '3:57'
References: Fuchsia Moonrise
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/fuchsia-sleighride
- https://youtu.be/y4jxrIlulr0
Commentary: |-
PoisonedElite:
Imagine Meenah in a Full Santa outfit riding a sleigh. Most of the instruments I made using FM synthesis and it was hard.
---
Track: End of Act
Artist: Sean Gorter
Contributors:
- Kal-la-kal-la (choir)
- OneDragonArmy (choir)
- Ucklin (choir)
- WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES (choir)
Duration: '5:32'
URLs:
- https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/end-of-act
- https://youtu.be/JHUIiE86kjc
Lyrics: |-
Been a long time coming for your happy holidays
And the winter air is resting on your skin
After all the year has brought upon your merry way
Take a look behind at everywhere you’ve been
From the seven gates of Skaia to the Battlefield
And the Land of Light and Rain you trode upon
Seven years of works Ascending, what it all revealed
Was a word that you could cherish standing on
Stuck at home as snowflakes fall upon your gilded land
Like a Witch of Space commencing Medium ground
You’re surrounded by a feeling something’s close at hand
While the world outside keeps turning round and round
Scurry out into the alabaster as it spills
Step away from all that anchors you below
Every day brings you a Choice to make of as you will
Choose to be the Hero everywhere you go
Will you find another universe to fall into
Are the other ones not pulling you away
Do you look back on the memories in that field of view
Did they turn you into who you are today
Were your closest friends a part of what you’ve loved so long
Would you play with them a Session of your own?
Are they standing right beside you as you sing this song
Don’t you leave them through this season all alone
And we’ll meet you for another happy holiday
When the twilight stars you built upon have gone astray
Take your chances, take yourself along and get away
For your Ultimate Reward awaits you, don’t delay
Commentary: |-
Sean Gorter:
Imagine me, young Flare, sitting at a piano when all of a sudden - BAM! Musical inspiration strikes! The melody always struck me from the beginning as rather festive-feeling, even if it didn't use the standard musical tropes for Christmas music, so I took this idea and set out to make the most Christmassy electronic music I could make.
The lyrics also only rather obliquely reference Homestuck; it's never mentioned by name, I chose the most mild-sounding aspects of the story to directly reference, and not once is conksuck or shit lets be santa dropped. But most importantly, the lyrics are for you, dear Homestuck reader, as a reminder that though the year has come to a close, though the act is ending, the future still holds many more in store for you. Your story continues on, so be its hero!